University applications below levels before £9,000 fees

The number of English people applying to university remains way below the numbers who applied before the introduction, in 2012, of annual tuition fees to a maximum of £9,000.

UCU said ministers urgently needed to consider a system that encouraged all people to aspire to university - not look at ways to further punish students.

UCU President, Simon Renton, said: 'Ministers promised students a fairer funding system, but they have taken away vital support for poorer students by slashing grants in real terms and axing the national scholarship support programme.

'We are extremely concerned that they are now considering ways to ramp up repayment levels on all student loans. We need a fairer system where cost is not a deterrent to any potential university student.'

In 2011, 478,590 English people applied to university (up by 0.7% from 2010). In 2012 there was a 10% drop in applications as 47,835 fewer people applied. There is a 3% increase in applications this year (2013) to 443,522. However, that means there are 35,000 fewer English people (35,068) applying to universities this year, than in 2011.

Between 2006 and 2011, the number of applicants to UK universities was on a steady upward trend.